Third conspirator sentenced in 55 million dollar visa fraud scheme

ORLANDO, Fla. - Eduardo Dozzi Barbugli, 31, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison Wednesday for his involvement in a $55 million visa fraud conspiracy, following an investigation led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Barbugli was convicted of conspiracy, visa fraud, and alien smuggling in relation to an elaborate scheme which allowed illegal aliens to work at jobs that normally would have been filled by U.S. citizens. As part of his sentence, the court also imposed a money judgment in the amount of $55 million, which represents the illegal proceeds generated during the course of the conspiracy.
He pled guilty on Sept. 9.
Barbugli is a citizen of Brazil who has been living and working in the United States illegally. He will be removed from the United States after he serves his sentence.
His parents, Valeria and Wilson Barbugli, were sentenced on Oct.14 for their participation in the conspiracy.
According to court documents, the Barbuglis used a temporary labor staffing conglomerate that supplied workers to more than 160 hotels. Through their complex visa fraud and alien smuggling activities, the defendants allowed more than 1,000 illegal aliens to enter and remain in the United States using fraudulently obtained H-2B employment-based visas.
An H-2B visa is granted to certain qualified foreign workers seeking temporary employment in the United States. As part of the conspiracy, the Barbuglis submitted false documentation to the government and manipulated the H-2B visa process.
The Barbuglis submitted altered hotel contract agreements to conceal their activities and falsely reported that U.S. workers had been hired when they had not. The Barbuglis also falsely claimed that no payments were being collected from the alien workers, when in fact the workers had actually paid between $350 to $750 each to be placed on the fraudulent H-2B visa petitions.
The Barbuglis used shell companies in successive petitions to create the illusion that new bona fide companies had temporary labor needs. This was done to deceive authorities and hide the fact that all of the workers were employed by the same corporation, namely VR Services, without interruption.
This elaborate deceit enabled VR Services to establish a permanent foreign labor pool, which employed illegal alien workers across the United States.
This case was jointly investigated by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent immigration documents. The task force is led by ICE HSI and also includes the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie E. Gorman.

(CONTINUATION) Lake Effect Snow Warning issued December 02 at 9:02PM EST expiring December 03 at 6:00AM EST by NWS Buffalo

Issued By:  NWS Buffalo (Western New York)
Affected Jurisdictions:  Erie, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego Counties



...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY. * LOCATIONS: PRIMARILY CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND NORTHERN LEWIS COUNTY THROUGH MIDNIGHT. THE BAND WILL MOVE FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE TUG HILL REGION AND NORTHERN OSWEGO COUNTY OVERNIGHT. * TIMING: CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IN THE MOST PERSISTENT BANDS. STORM TOTALS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES IN SOME AREAS. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. * IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW WILL PRODUCE VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY. TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 81 WILL BE DIFFICULT FROM WATERTOWN TO PULASKI.

IN LAKE EFFECT SNOW THE WEATHER CAN VARY FROM LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW IN NARROW BANDS TO CLEAR SKIES JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. IF YOU WILL BE TRAVELING ACROSS THE REGION BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN ROAD AND VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION

TOP STORY: Agents : Smithsonian-sponsored training sparks HSI special agents' enthusiasm

Smithsonian-sponsored training sparks HSI special agents' enthusiasm

Learning the nuts and bolts of investigating crimes involving cultural property, art and antiquities

This year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents returned ceramic antiquities to Peru, artwork to Italy, fossils to China and a sarcophagus to Egypt. Customs laws allow agents to seize national treasures, especially if they have been reported lost or stolen. They then work with experts to authenticate the items, determine their true ownership and return them to their countries of origin.
These cases can be exceedingly complex. Special agents must know how to properly handle, photograph, document and safely store ancient antiquities and art. They need to develop a working knowledge of ancient cultures and civilizations. They need to understand and converse in the jargon spoken among archaeologists, anthropologists and art historians. They must know and understand applicable laws. They need to search cultural heritage databases and network with experts who can help them further their investigations.
This fall, ICE HSI agents participated in a training workshop at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) in Suitland, Md. The workshop focused on preventing illicit trafficking and protecting cultural heritage - items that ICE HSI agents could potentially investigate.
"It made sense to have the training at the Smithsonian because the Institution has collections that represent all parts of the world," said Rae Beaubien, head of conservation at the Smithsonian MCI.
Picture a network of laboratories where scientists and conservators conduct research to unlock mysteries of the universe. At the MCI, staff specialists have worked with collaborators across the Smithsonian Institution to analyze an astronaut's glove with moon dust trapped inside; determine that migratory, not local, geese struck the plane that crashed into the Hudson River in 2009; and trace century old links between elephants, humans and land use.
The workshop provided HSI Senior Special Agents (SSA) with the tools they need to hone their skills in investigating crimes involving cultural property, art and antiquities -investigations overseen by HSI's National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Arlington, Va.
The workshop broke each of these topics down into a logical and organized format, while experienced agents shared their knowledge and investigative paths that brought their cases to successful conclusions.
"I've always had a passion for art, but was a bit intimidated to work these complex cases," said Lennis "Duck" Barrois, Jr., a special agent with the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) office in New York. "This program has eliminated all fears and doubts, and I look forward to working these awesome cases."


Touring the MCI was of particular interest to the training participants who listened intently as experts explained and demonstrated the high-tech wizardry applied to historic objects, works of art and specimens of the natural world. For instance, new imaging techniques allow scientists to zoom in like never before and capture per pixel representations of paintings and photos.

The tour of the Smithsonian's massive anthropology collections, stored in the same building as the MCI, was equally fascinating. In five pods, some the size of football fields, the Smithsonian stores millions of items in carefully organized storage units. Tall metal cabinets labeled "Egypt," "Peru" and "Ecuador," to name a few nations, encased ancient pottery, baskets, rudimentary tools, hand-made apparel and other objects all made by people of past civilizations.

"The MCI captured our agents' interest…the type of interest that leads directly to the proactive development of cultural property investigations," said Craig Karch, HSI Special Agent and Program Manager.
This is the third such training session hosted by the Smithsonian. Plans are in the works for future sessions.
Learn more about ICE's Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities Investigations.

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DREAM Act Would Expand Recruiting Pool

DREAM Act Would Expand Recruiting Pool

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - Enactment of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would expand the eligible recruiting pool for the U.S. military, a senior Defense Department official said today.
"The department supports those elements of the DREAM Act that provide children of nonresident immigrants a clear path to U.S. citizenship through service in the military," said Clifford Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
If enacted, the bill would provide a path for certain undocumented alien students to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete two years in the military. Candidates enlisting under the act would be subject to the same rigorous military entrance standards as all other applicants, officials said.
"Throughout past and current conflicts, those who are not yet citizens have answered the call to defend their adopted nation," Stanley said. "Allowing DREAM Act-eligible youth the opportunity to serve this nation would continue this tradition of service, while expanding the market of high-quality patriotic youth, to the advantage of military recruitment and readiness."
Noncitizens have enlisted in the military since the beginning of the republic. During the American Civil War, recruiting officers often greeted immigrants as they debarked in New York and Boston, officials noted. Today, about 35,000 noncitizens are members of the military, and about 5,000 to 8,000 permanent resident aliens enlist each year.

Military recruiting officials have said that only 25 percent of U.S. youth qualify to enlist in the military. The DREAM Act, they have noted, would expand the pool of potential recruits and would be another tool that recruiters could use to build the force.
 

(CONTINUATION) Lake Effect Snow Warning issued December 02 at 3:20PM EST expiring December 02 at 11:00PM EST by NWS Buffalo

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING. * LOCATIONS: NORTHERN ERIE AND GENESEE COUNTIES...PRIMARILY SOUTH BUFFALO INTO THE BUFFALO SOUTHTOWNS AND EASTERN SUBURBS INTO WESTERN GENESEE COUNTY. * TIMING: CONTINUES THROUGH MID TO LATE EVENING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 9 INCHES IN MOST PERSISTENT BANDS. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL REACH 3 FEET IN THE HARDEST HIT AREAS. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. * IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW WILL PRODUCE VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY. SOME ROADS MAY BE NEARLY IMPASSABLE AT TIMES DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND TRAFFIC. THE HEAVY WET NATURE OF THE SNOW WILL BRING DOWN SOME TREE LIMBS AND PRODUCE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

IN LAKE EFFECT SNOW THE WEATHER CAN VARY FROM LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW IN NARROW BANDS TO CLEAR SKIES JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. IF YOU WILL BE TRAVELING ACROSS THE REGION BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN ROAD AND VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. IF YOU LOOSE POWER AND PLAN ON RUNNING A GENERATOR...MAKE SURE THE GENERATOR IS LOCATED OUTDOORS AND PROPERLY VENTILATED. SPACE HEATERS SHOULD ALSO BE PROPERLY VENTILATED...AND ONLY USE THEM IF THEY ARE OPERATING PROPERLY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUFFALO.

Afghan, Coalition Forces Detain Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - Afghan and coalition forces last night captured an alleged bomb and weapons facilitator in Afghanistan's Wardak province, military officials reported. The Taliban leader was targeted for kidnapping and ransoming local residents in the province's Sayyidabad district. Intelligence reports led security forces to his location, and he and an associate were detained without incident. Also last night, Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents in southern Afghanistan's Helmand and Ghazni provinces. Security forces were targeting Taliban leadership in region. The Ghazni operation also resulted in discovery of bomb-making materials. In operations yesterday: -- In Helmand province's Sangin district, an Afghan and coalition airstrike killed two armed insurgents with ties to a local Taliban leader. Tips from nearby residents led security forces to his location. The targeted Taliban leader allegedly was responsible for coordinating and carrying out bombing attacks against security forces, as well as intimidating local residents, officials said. -- In Uruzgan province's Shahid-e Hasas district, Afghan and coalition troops killed a district-level Taliban leader who led 175 fighters and has coordinated and participated in numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also directed and engaged in intimidation activities, ordering murders and beatings of local residents who supported Afghanistan's new government, officials said. He was killed after he engaged the security forces with small-arms fire. -- Afghan and coalition forces killed an armed insurgent in Kandahar province's Shah Wali Kot district. Security forces were searching an area associated with insurgent activity when the insurgent brandished a weapon at the troops. He was killed immediately. Troops also found a weapons cache of machine guns and assault rifles with ammunition. -- Also in Uruzgan province, security forces detained three people, one of whom reportedly is known for building and planting roadside bombs. The operation took place in the Chorah district. -- Afghan and coalition forces found a number of weapons caches in separate operations throughout southern and eastern Afghanistan. In Kandahar province, troops discovered more than 6,500 rounds of small-arms ammunition, more than 60 rocket-propelled grenades with two launchers, 40 various rockets and mortars and 75 pounds of shrapnel and other bomb-making materials. In Khost province, troops found more than 1,700 rounds of small-arms ammunition, 14 rocket-propelled grenades and five assault rifles. An operation in Helmand province netted eight .50-caliber sniper rifles with 300 round of ammunition, officials said.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

DHS Achieves Major Aviation Security Milestone One Month Ahead of Schedule

DHS now vetting 100 percent of passengers on flights within or bound for U.S. against watchlists
Washington, D.C. - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced that 100 percent of passengers on flights within or bound for the United States are now being checked against government watchlists - fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation a month ahead of schedule. The TSA reached 100 percent watch list matching for all domestic airlines on June 22.
Under Secure Flight, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against terrorist watchlists before passengers receive their boarding passes. In addition to facilitating secure travel for all passengers, the program helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watchlists. Prior to Secure Flight, airlines held responsibility for checking passengers against watchlists.
“Each and every one of the security measures we implement serves an important goal: providing safe and efficient air travel for the millions of people who rely on our aviation system every day,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Secure Flight makes air travel safer for everyone by screening every passenger against the latest intelligence before a boarding pass is issued.”
“The threats we face in the aviation sector are real and evolving, and we must confront them with strong and dynamic security measures,” said TSA Administrator John S. Pistole. “Secure Flight bolsters our efforts to be more intelligence-driven and risk-based in our approach to aviation security. Our industry partners’ strong commitment to security was critical to reaching the full implementation of this vital counterterrorism program ahead of schedule.”
“We are pleased that DHS and TSA, with the cooperation of ATA and its member airlines, were able to reach this important security milestone ahead of schedule,” said Air Transport Association President and CEO James C. May. “We look forward to working with them and their security counterparts around the world to continue to improve security while streamlining passenger processing – a win-win for everyone.”
Passengers are required to provide their full name as it appears on the government ID they plan to use when traveling, date of birth, gender and, if applicable, Redress Number when booking their airline reservations. TSA adheres to strict protocols to protect individual privacy when conducting security checks.
Under Secure Flight, 99 percent of passengers are cleared to print boarding passes at home or at a self-serve kiosk. Individuals found to match watchlist parameters will be subject to secondary screening, a law enforcement interview or prohibition from boarding an aircraft, depending on the specific case.
TSA deploys a risk-based, layered security approach that utilizes a range of measures, both seen and unseen, including advanced technology, law enforcement, intelligence, terrorist watchlist checks and international collaboration.
Since the attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009, Secretary Napolitano, in conjunction with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has been leading a global initiative to strengthen the international aviation system against the evolving threats posed by terrorists, working in multilateral and bilateral contexts with governments as well as industry.
Over the past year, Secretary Napolitano has participated in regional aviation security summits around the world, forging historic consensus with her international colleagues to strengthen the civil aviation system through enhanced information analysis and sharing, cooperation on technological development and modernized aviation security standards.
These meetings culminated in the ICAO Triennial Assembly at the beginning of October where the Assembly adopted a historic Declaration on Aviation Security, which forges a historic new foundation for aviation security that will better protect the entire global aviation system from evolving terrorist threats.

CBP Officers Generate Numerous Drug Busts During Thanksgiving Weekend

El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at El Paso area ports of entry made 10 drug busts during the Thanksgiving weekend. The activity included a cocaine bust with a weight of 16.80 pounds and nine marijuana busts totaling 1,881.27 pounds. The estimated street value of all seized drugs is $2,042,616.

	CBP officers searched a tractor and found inconsistencies in the fuel tank.

“While many area families were at home enjoying their holiday, CBP officers were busy protecting our nation at the ports of entry,” said Ana Hinojosa, U.S. Customs and Border Protection director of Field Operations in El Paso.

In the largest seizure of the holiday period, CBP officers at the Bridge of the Americas cargo facility confiscated 677.93 pounds of marijuana on Friday. The seizure was made after a 1990 GMC tractor-trailer entered the port from Mexico. CBP officers searched the tractor and found inconsistencies in the gas tank. CBP officers removed 581 marijuana-filled bundles from the gas tank.

In addition to the drug busts, CBP officers working at ports of entry in El Paso, West Texas and New Mexico made a total of four seizures of agricultural items. Violators paid $825 in penalties in association with the violations. Prohibited food products seized included apples, pork chicharrones and live plants.

CBP officers recorded 41 immigration violations at area ports this week including 11 imposters. CBP officers remain vigilant. Their thorough and diligent document exam process combined with their interview techniques helped in catching an alien smuggler who was booked without bail in the El Paso County Detention facility. Imposters generally will use a legitimate entry document assigned to another person and present it as their own. Violators generally lose their documents, can be prosecuted and go to jail and/or are returned to Mexico.

CBP officers seized documents from 13 intended immigrants. In these cases, individuals use a legally issued border-crossing card (laser visa) to live or work in the United States, which is not authorized. They also lose their documents and are generally returned to Mexico.

CBP officers also recorded 17 cases of people attempting to enter with counterfeit or altered documents, visa overstay violations and people making false claims to U.S. citizenship. People falsely claiming U.S. citizenship are prosecuted and go to jail.

CBP officers working at area ports made a total of five fugitive apprehensions during the period.

CBP Field Operations is responsible for securing our borders at the ports of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers’ primary mission is anti-terrorism. They screen all people, vehicles, and goods entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel into and out of the United States. Their mission also includes carrying out traditional border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration law, protecting the nation’s food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases, and enforcing trade laws.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

U.S. Soldier MIA from Korean War Identified

            The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
            Army Sgt. First Class Wallace L. Slight, 24, of Yates City, Ill., will be buried Dec. 3 in Van Meter, Iowa.  On Nov. 1, 1950, Slight was assigned to M Company, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, occupying a defensive position in North Korea, along the Nammyon River, near a bend known as the "Camel's Head."  Two enemy elements attacked the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing their perimeter and forcing a withdrawal.  Almost 400 men, including Slight, were reported missing or killed in action following the battle.
            In 1953, a U.S. soldier captured during the same battle reported that a fellow prisoner of war had told him Slight had died on the battlefield during the attack.
            Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen.  North Korean documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains in one of the boxes were exhumed near Unsan County, North Pyongan Province.  This location correlates with the location of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment on Nov. 2, 1950. 
            Analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years.  Through interviews with eyewitnesses, experts evaluated circumstances surrounding the soldier's captivity and death and researched wartime documentation of his loss. 
            Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Slight's brother and half-brother -- in the identification.  

New Policy Bridges Korea Tour Normalization

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - The top U.S. commander in South Korea has introduced a new policy prioritizing what positions qualify for highly sought-after command sponsorships for family members.

Army Gen. Walter L. "Skip" Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, chats with a student as he signs the ribbon he cut during the official opening the new Casey Elementary School at Camp Casey, South Korea, Sept. 15, 2010. Courtesy photo by Yu Hu Son (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Army Gen. Walter L. "Skip" Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, announced the new system this week to control the flow of command-sponsored military families to ensure infrastructure improvements underway are prepared to accommodate them, he explained in his "Sharp Point" blog. The policy reflects the huge popularity of tour normalization in South Korea, said Air Force Lt. Col. Angela Billings, the command's deputy public affairs officer.
With full tour normalization, assignments to South Korea will be more like assignments to Germany, Japan or other overseas installations. Single servicemembers typically will serve two-year tours, and troops who bring their families will stay for three years.
"We were overwhelmingly successful with our tour normalization efforts and had the wait list to show it," Billings said. "With over 900 on the wait list, the commander wanted a better, more transparent way for servicemembers and their families to make decisions affecting their lives."
The new policy is designed to reduce uncertainty for these families as the command works to expand command-sponsorship opportunities as quickly as possible, she said.
U.S. Forces Korea currently can accommodate just 4,600 families, but Sharp hopes to allow as many of the estimated 14,000 married troops currently in South Korea to bring their families as more housing, schools and other facilities become available. He promised in his blog message to pursue the funding and infrastructure initiatives needed to expand command sponsorships as quickly as possible.
"Because of the great quality of life and a desire for families to remain together at a time when many have been separated, more and more servicemembers want to come to Korea and more and more families want to accompany them," Sharp said in his command blog. "I appreciate your continued patience during this transition as we implement the revised [command-sponsorship program] policy on our way to full tour normalization in Korea."
"We simply had to take a more deliberate, graduated approach" to command sponsorships for the near term, Billings said. "The commander was clear: He didn't want to take on more than the infrastructure and facilities could manage in order to keep the quality of life for the families who are here at an acceptable level."
Under the new policy, top priority for command sponsorships will go to servicemembers assigned to key billets considered so vital to the mission that they mandate 24-month tours, regardless of whether the servicemembers bring their families, Sharp said.
U.S. Forces Korea established a new second-priority category for troops assigned to military jobs determined to provide commanders the greatest benefit when served in 24- and 36-month tours. These positions typically will be key leadership positions that require lengthy pre- or post-arrival training or certifications, or jobs involving low density and hard-to-fill skill sets, Sharp explained. Unit commanders will recommend what positions qualify for "Priority 2" status, subject to component commander approval, and they will vary by service, location and unit, he said.
The new policy gives commanders flexibility in filling the remaining "Priority 3" positions. Factors likely to be considered are recent deployments, consecutive overseas tours, dual military or single military family status and junior servicemember opportunities, Sharp said.
He noted that Navy and Marine Corps command sponsorship opportunities are aligned to specific positions, which are centrally managed by their respective service centers and are based on available allocations by location.
Commanders in South Korea will conduct town hall meetings and commander's calls over the next 10 days to explain the revised policy, answer questions and provide detailed information about the three command-sponsorship priority categories, Sharp said.
In addition, he has directed the chain of command to contact all servicemembers already on a waiting list for command sponsorship to explain how the new policy affects them and options available to them and their families.
Since Sharp took command of U.S. Forces Korea in 2008, he has advocated longer tours to benefit U.S. military families, cut down on moves and reduce disruption within the command.
The vast majority of U.S. troops in South Korea historically have served one-year, unaccompanied tours, so the normalization policy is ushering in big changes.
Nowhere is evidence of those changes quite so striking as at Camp Humphreys, once a quiet aviation base off the beaten track from Pyongtaek. It's transforming into a major hub for U.S. forces in South Korea, almost all of them scheduled to move south of the Han River within the next several years, and an unprecedented number of military families.
Army Col. Joseph Moore, the garrison commander, predicted that the post could ultimately become home to as many as 30,000 family members, swelling the base's total population to more than 62,000.
Meanwhile, Camp Casey's new Casey Elementary School, just 20 miles south of the demilitarized zone, opened its doors for the new school year Aug. 30.
Sharp joined Clifford Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, in mid-September to cut the ribbon on the new school that accommodates 363 kindergarten through eighth-grade students, most of them children of 2nd Infantry Division soldiers.
And because the school already is "bursting at the seams," Principal Shelly Kennedy is looking forward to an expansion next school year. That's when a second barracks building being renovated next door will be ready to accept about 250 more students.
"This reduces stress on the military," he told American Forces Press Service during a helicopter flight to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "With families already separated by deployments, why have an unaccompanied tour if you don't have to?"
But Sharp said it also improves U.S. capability by reducing the turmoil of permanent-change-of-station moves, and that it underscores the enduring U.S. commitment to South Korea.
"To allow servicemembers to be here two and three years rather than just one year at a time has hugely increased capability," he told families at a luncheon before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It strengthens the alliance and sends a huge deterrent message to North Korea."
 

Biographies:

Related Sites: U.S. Forces Korea

Related Articles:
New School Signals Commitment to Families, Alliance
South Korea Post Readies for More Troops, Families

(CONTINUATION) Lake Effect Snow Warning issued December 02 at 3:20PM EST expiring December 03 at 6:00AM EST by NWS Buffalo ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY. * LOCATIONS: PRIMARILY CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND NORTHERN LEWIS COUNTY THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE BAND WILL MOVE FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE TUG HILL REGION AND NORTHERN OSWEGO COUNTY AFTER MIDNIGHT. * TIMING: CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES IN THE MOST PERSISTENT BANDS. STORM TOTALS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES IN SOME AREAS. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. * IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW WILL PRODUCE VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY. TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 81 WILL BE DIFFICULT FROM WATERTOWN TO PULASKI. IN LAKE EFFECT SNOW THE WEATHER CAN VARY FROM LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW IN NARROW BANDS TO CLEAR SKIES JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. IF YOU WILL BE TRAVELING ACROSS THE REGION BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN ROAD AND VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY. * LOCATIONS: PRIMARILY CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND NORTHERN LEWIS COUNTY THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE BAND WILL MOVE FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE TUG HILL REGION AND NORTHERN OSWEGO COUNTY AFTER MIDNIGHT. * TIMING: CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES IN THE MOST PERSISTENT BANDS. STORM TOTALS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES IN SOME AREAS. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. * IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW WILL PRODUCE VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY. TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 81 WILL BE DIFFICULT FROM WATERTOWN TO PULASKI.

IN LAKE EFFECT SNOW THE WEATHER CAN VARY FROM LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW IN NARROW BANDS TO CLEAR SKIES JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. IF YOU WILL BE TRAVELING ACROSS THE REGION BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN ROAD AND VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.

Army Researchers Study Computer, Human Networks

By Jian DeLeon Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - Computer networks and social networks depend on interaction between individuals –- whether it's individual machines or human beings. The science of these complex interactions shares some common underlying themes, and a team of Army researchers hopes that examining these networks will provide feasible solutions. "Today's warfare and all types of military activities are truly permeated, if you wish, with networks. The most obvious ones are computer networks and communication networks, and our soldiers use them constantly and for numerous purposes in numerous diverse ways," Alexander Kott, chief of the Army Research Laboratory's network science division, said yesterday during a "DOD Live" bloggers roundtable. Kott said his position focuses on network-related phenomena and serves him well in his other role as manager of the Network Science Collaborative Technology Alliance, a program initiated by the Army about a year ago, which involves about 27 universities, a few companies, and about 200 researchers who look at the basic science of networks. Despite being well-versed in the technology of networks, Kott said, modern soldiers aren't just interacting with computer systems. "Our soldiers also deal on a daily basis with even more important genre of networks -- human networks, networks of humans connected by complex social and coordinative links," he said. These social links that can be challenging to traverse, he added, noting that troops often have to deal with cultural, ideological and adversarial issues in addition to negotiating between civilians and local governments. This complex interactivity between various tangible resources can be problematic, he said. "All these different genres of networks -- they're not inert masses," he said. "They are not something pre-engineered and constant. They are living, evolving creatures. They live their mysterious lives. They grow. They shrink. They branch out. They merge. They have these mysterious interactions between themselves and within themselves. They are complex, adaptive systems. They produce all kinds of puzzling, nonlinear, difficult-to-predict behaviors." To ensure network reliability, the Army is looking into a technology known as disruption-tolerant networking, said Robert Cole of the Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center. "That's a technology that will be important in future Army networks," Cole said. This focus on reliable and stable communications, he explained, is why the Army has been hesitant to adapt commercial technologies such as cellular communication, which could be compromised on the battlefield despite recent advances in smart phone technology. "Cellular communications means you have to have some type of cell phone towers on the battlefield," Kott said, "and they are tremendously attractive and vulnerable targets." However, he added, the military does see the tactical advantage such a communication tool would provide, and is working toward adapting a more dependable, less vulnerable version of that technology. "The Army has been investing research and developing the mobile, ad hoc networks where every radio on the battlefield is known in the network and you are not reliant on a cell-phone tower or one node. ... Of course, many of the features of the smart phones that are so attractive today and will grow, [and] inevitably, certainly will be explored in our military networks as well," he said. Researchers also are conducting projects to directly benefit ground teams in Afghanistan and Iraq to give them an advantage in both combat and noncombat situations. "For example," Kott said, "we have recently completed research that shows propagation processes, propagation of influence, propagation of trust and distrust, propagation of beliefs and conviction within human networks. This process can actually be at least partially predictable. It can be modeled. It can be analyzed." Kott said it's clear why the Army is moving in this direction. "We are operating on a new battlefield -- a very, very complex, networked battlefield of insurgency in particular," he said, "where it is so important to understand those complex network phenomena and to be able to influence them."

Related Sites: "DOD Live" Bloggers Roundtable Related Articles: Researchers Aim to Bring Smart Phones to Warfighters

Military Can Manage 'Don't Ask' Repeal By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - The military can deal effectively with allowing openly gay servicemembers in its ranks, leaders of a working group that studied the issue for the Defense Department told the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Group co-chairs Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe, and Jeh C. Johnson, DOD general counsel, testified along with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a hearing about possible repeal of the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. "After nine months of study, I am convinced that if the law changes, the United States military can do this, even in a time of war," Ham said. The department released the report on effects of possible repeal and an accompanying implementation plan Nov. 30. Ham said he doesn't underestimate the challenges that would come with implementing a change in the law, but added that servicemembers can adapt to such change while accomplishing the nation's military missions. "I came to this conclusion not only as a co-chair of the Department of Defense review, but perhaps more importantly, as the commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe," Ham said. "I was cognizant every day of this review that I might actually have to lead the changes included in our report. As a serving commander, I am confident that if this law changes, I and the leaders with whom I serve can do just that." Johnson said the working group's basic assessment was that "our military can make this change, provided we do so in an orderly and reasonable manner, in accord with the recommendations for implementation we offer in our report." He cautioned committee members that leaving the repeal decision in the hands of the courts could damage the military's capability to manage the change. "From where I sit as the lawyer for the Department of Defense, the virtue of the legislation pending before the Senate is that, if passed, repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be done on our terms and our timetable, upon the advice of our military leadership," he said. Johnson said the report makes clear that the military must address many issues with regard to a repeal of the "Don't Ask" law, such as "education and training, the core messages to be delivered as part of education and training, same-sex partner benefits, berthing and billeting, a policy on re-accession, related changes to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice], and so forth." The fact that litigation on gay rights matters has increased is undeniable, Johnson told the Senate panel. "Since 2003, when the Supreme Court decided Lawrence vs. Texas, the courts have become increasingly receptive to gay rights claims," he said. "Within the last year alone, federal district courts have for the first time declared California's gay marriage ban, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' all unconstitutional." The Defense Department must face the possibility of implementing the change "on the terms and timetable of a court and a plaintiff" if a court strikes down the law, Johnson said. A flurry of court actions on the law in October and November demonstrated possible consequences of repeal through court rulings, he noted. A federal district judge ordered suspension of the law Oct. 12, the appellate court issued a temporary stay of that injunction Oct. 20, the 9th Circuit Court agreed to keep the stay in place Nov. 1, and the Supreme Court denied a request to overturn the stay Nov. 12. "In the space of eight days, we had to shift course on the worldwide enforcement of the law twice, and in the space of a month faced the possibility of shifting course four different times," Johnson said. "Our plea to the Congress is to not leave the fate of this law to the courts." Gates and Mullen both have said they would not certify the military as ready to implement a change in law until the department can prepare post-repeal policies and regulations and has begun to educate and train the force, Johnson said. Legislation passed by the House of Representatives and now before the Senate requires that the president, the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs chairman must certify the military's readiness to make the change before repeal would take effect. "In all likelihood, this will not be possible if repeal is imposed upon us by judicial fiat," Johnson said. "For these reasons, we urge that the Senate act now on the pending legislation." Biographies: Jeh C. Johnson Army Gen. Carter F. Ham Related Sites: Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated Special Report: Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Military Can Manage 'Don't Ask' Repeal By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - The military can deal effectively with allowing openly gay servicemembers in its ranks, leaders of a working group that studied the issue for the Defense Department told the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Group co-chairs Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe, and Jeh C. Johnson, DOD general counsel, testified along with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a hearing about possible repeal of the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. "After nine months of study, I am convinced that if the law changes, the United States military can do this, even in a time of war," Ham said. The department released the report on effects of possible repeal and an accompanying implementation plan Nov. 30. Ham said he doesn't underestimate the challenges that would come with implementing a change in the law, but added that servicemembers can adapt to such change while accomplishing the nation's military missions. "I came to this conclusion not only as a co-chair of the Department of Defense review, but perhaps more importantly, as the commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe," Ham said. "I was cognizant every day of this review that I might actually have to lead the changes included in our report. As a serving commander, I am confident that if this law changes, I and the leaders with whom I serve can do just that." Johnson said the working group's basic assessment was that "our military can make this change, provided we do so in an orderly and reasonable manner, in accord with the recommendations for implementation we offer in our report." He cautioned committee members that leaving the repeal decision in the hands of the courts could damage the military's capability to manage the change. "From where I sit as the lawyer for the Department of Defense, the virtue of the legislation pending before the Senate is that, if passed, repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be done on our terms and our timetable, upon the advice of our military leadership," he said. Johnson said the report makes clear that the military must address many issues with regard to a repeal of the "Don't Ask" law, such as "education and training, the core messages to be delivered as part of education and training, same-sex partner benefits, berthing and billeting, a policy on re-accession, related changes to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice], and so forth." The fact that litigation on gay rights matters has increased is undeniable, Johnson told the Senate panel. "Since 2003, when the Supreme Court decided Lawrence vs. Texas, the courts have become increasingly receptive to gay rights claims," he said. "Within the last year alone, federal district courts have for the first time declared California's gay marriage ban, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' all unconstitutional." The Defense Department must face the possibility of implementing the change "on the terms and timetable of a court and a plaintiff" if a court strikes down the law, Johnson said. A flurry of court actions on the law in October and November demonstrated possible consequences of repeal through court rulings, he noted. A federal district judge ordered suspension of the law Oct. 12, the appellate court issued a temporary stay of that injunction Oct. 20, the 9th Circuit Court agreed to keep the stay in place Nov. 1, and the Supreme Court denied a request to overturn the stay Nov. 12. "In the space of eight days, we had to shift course on the worldwide enforcement of the law twice, and in the space of a month faced the possibility of shifting course four different times," Johnson said. "Our plea to the Congress is to not leave the fate of this law to the courts." Gates and Mullen both have said they would not certify the military as ready to implement a change in law until the department can prepare post-repeal policies and regulations and has begun to educate and train the force, Johnson said. Legislation passed by the House of Representatives and now before the Senate requires that the president, the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs chairman must certify the military's readiness to make the change before repeal would take effect. "In all likelihood, this will not be possible if repeal is imposed upon us by judicial fiat," Johnson said. "For these reasons, we urge that the Senate act now on the pending legislation."

Biographies: Jeh C. Johnson Army Gen. Carter F. Ham Related Sites: Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated Special Report: Don't Ask, Don't Tell

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